*****Please note that there are days where I will post more than once. So, to find out all the latest happenings and "goings-on" in our family (or my random thoughts), be sure to scroll down.*****

Monday, February 28, 2011

Time Saving Tip…

We’re really trying to eat healthier, so I’ve been making our bread.  Granted, I haven’t gotten to the stage of daily bread baking; however, I’m trying…
With that said, it takes time to measure everything out to make a loaf.  So, I decided I’d package up the dry ingredients in ziploc bags.  Then, when it’s time to make a loaf, I only need to add in the wet ingredients, ground flaxmeal (for extra fiber/protein), and yeast.  I’m really hoping that this time saving tip will allow me to get into a regular bread baking routine.  It’s cheaper if we make our own, and I can monitor the ingredients.  I can also add ingredients like the ground flaxmeal to improve the fiber/protein qualities of the bread.
So, today, I spent some time packaging up 8 bags of dry ingredients.  I make a 1.5lb loaf when I make it, and that lasts about 1-2 days (depending on what the boys eat for breakfast and lunch). 
What are YOUR time saving tips?  Feel free to share them as I’m always looking for more!  I think freezer cooking is another time saving tip, and it’s almost time for a 2nd freezer cooking day here at our house!
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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Menu Plan Week of February 27, 2011

As you will notice, I didn’t get to some of our planned meals from last week, so they have been carried over.  Oh well…better to make plans than to not, right?!!?  Here’s what’s cooking at our house this week…
Sunday – Roasted Chicken, Rice, and Steamed Veggies
Monday – Frikadellen, Noodles, and Steamed Veggies
Tuesday – Homemade Pizza
Wednesday – Hamburgers with Salad or Chips
Thursday – YOYO
Friday – Sauteed Chicken, Rice, and Steamed Veggies
Saturday – YOYO (a certain little boy turns THREE today, so we’re celebrating HIM)
What’s cooking at YOUR house?  I’m trying to find some new recipes to add into our variety…I’m not having much success.  I need to do some serious Internet browsing…or look through the many recipe books I have.  LOL!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Menu Plan Week of February 20, 2011

Here’s what’s cooking at the Childress House this week:
Sunday – Steak Fajitas (didn’t get to these last week)
Monday – Sauteed Chicken over Salad
Tuesday – YOYO (Mom has a Norwex show)
Wednesday – Noodles and Eggs (Daddy is out of town)
Thursday – Homemade Pizza
Friday – YOYO (Mom has a Mom’s Night)
Saturday – Frikadellen, Noodles, and Steamed Veggies
What’s cooking at YOUR house this week?  What is your favorite meal to cook?  I really find cooking therapeutic (when I’m in the right frame of mind), and I enjoy it.  I feel great when the kids (and Brian) enjoy what I’ve prepared.  It warms my heart!

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Second Grade Week 35 in Review

We have really enjoyed the “spring-like” weather we’ve been having.  It’s made Caleb eager to school so he can enjoy the nice weather afterwards.  That’s a BIG plus in my book!  LOL!  Here’s how our week went:
Bible – Our Bible story was on “Sin Breaks God’s Law.”  We read Job 1.  Our memory work was First Catechism Q&A 28-29.
Health – This week we started talking about safety.  We discussed safety away from home and on the street.
Science – We continued to discuss different forms of energy.  Caleb had fun doing a few simple experiments with magnets, too.
English – This week we started discussing adjectives.  We talked about describing sight, smell, and sound.
Vocabulary – Caleb continued to review his words, and then he took his test and scored 100%.
Social Studies – This week we reviewed our states in Geography.  In social studies, we started talking about America’s Cowboys. 
Reading – This week we read the following books:
Dinosaur Cove – Tracking the Diplodocus by Rex Stone (Caleb REALLY enjoyed this book, so I’ll have to look for the other Dinosaur Cove books).
Young Abraham Lincoln – Log Cabin President by Andrew Woods
Math – This week we discussed money.  We learned more about the decimal point and dollars.  Caleb continues to do really well with Math U See!
How did school go for you all this week?  Did you have nice weather, too?  I’m hoping the warmer temperatures will stick around for a bit!  It’s a welcome change!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Second Grade Week 34 in Review

It’s hard to believe that we’ve only got about 11 more weeks of school…YEAH!  We’re doing really well of staying on track so far, and I’m hoping that trend continues.  Here’s how week 34 went for us…
Bible – Our Bible story was on “Obedience Brings Life.”  We read from Luke 23:20-43 and Romans 6:23.  Our memory work was First Catechism Q&A 26-27.
Science – This week we learned about energy.  We discussed forces, gravity, pushes/pulls, and magnetism. 
Vocabulary – This week we added the words “atlas, aware, boar, equator, fang, fierce, hoof, journey, local, and rare” to our list of terms. 
Social Studies – This week we continued to read Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. 
Reading – This week we read the following books:
Hungry, Hungry Sharks by Joanna Cole
Horrible Harry and the Purple People by Suzy Kline
Math – This week we worked on skip counting by 10 and skip counting by 5.  We also reviewed the dime and the nickel.
Thanks for following our school journey.  We hope school is going well for all of you, too!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Menu Plan Week of February 13, 2011

Here’s what’s cooking at the Childress House this week…
Sunday  -- Shrimp Scampi, Jasmine Rice, and Steamed Veggies (didn’t serve this last week)
Monday – Parmesan Chicken Tenders served over salad
Tuesday – Steak Fajitas
Wednesday – Baked Ziti, Salad, and Homemade Bread
Thursday – YOYO
Friday – Homemade Pizza
Saturday – Sauteed Kielbasa with Vegetables and Noodles
What’s cooking at YOUR house this week?  Are you cooking anything special on Valentine’s Day or are you going out?  We would normally go out, but we’ve decided to just save the money for another time this year!  Smile

Friday, February 11, 2011

Mean Girls…

I saw a link to this post on another blog I follow.  Admittedly, I’ve been on both sides of the mean girl behavior.  Neither one is fun or glorious.  The older I get, the more I realize that friendships are hard…we all grow and adapt.  It’s amazing how God knows exactly who to put in our life at just the right time.  I’m thankful for all of the women in my life that I call friend, and they are all special in their own way.  Not one of them can meet all of my friendship needs, and that’s what makes friendships so special and WHY we should cherish them all.  A dear friend explains it to me best…we have circles around our life, and inside those circles are our friends.  It’s amazing how those circles change over time, but there’s always some constant…

How have YOU been affected by mean girls?  I could elaborate, but I’ll choose to just forgive and change…

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Menu Plan Week of February 6, 2011

Here’s what’s cooking at our house this week:
Sunday – Hamburgers with Salad or Chips
Monday – Taco Fiesta Soup
Tuesday – Sauteed Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Steamed Veggies
Wednesday – YOYO
Thursday – Beef Tenderloin sliced over Salad
Friday – Steak Sandwiches (didn’t have these last week)
Saturday – Shrimp Scampi, Jasmine Rice, and Steamed Veggies
What’s on YOUR menu this week? Have you been cooking up a feast for game day? We haven’t…we’re not into sports, really. However, we’ll probably watch to catch the commercials!

Friday, February 4, 2011

Second Grade Week 33 in Review

Another week has come and gone at Childress Academy.  I’m thrilled that we’re staying on track for a change.  Here’s how this week went for us:
Bible – Our memory work was First Catechism Q&A 24-25.  The Bible story this week was on “The Covenant of Works.”  We read 2 Samuel 6:1-7 and Proverbs 3:5-7.
Science – This week we discussed the relationship between plants and animals.  We delved into the fact that God has a plan for EVERYTHING!
English – This week we spent some time discussing the parts of a story.  We talked about characters, setting, and the structure of paragraphs.
Vocabulary – Caleb continued to study his words, and then he took his test.  He scored 92%.
Social Studies – In Geography, we added five more states to our studies…New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.  In Social Studies, we discussed more about pioneer life and the song “Skip to My Lou.”  We started reading Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Caleb is LOVING the book so far.
Reading – This week we read the following book:
Encyclopedia Brown:  Super Sleuth by Donald J.  Sobol
Math – This week we worked on addition with regrouping (carrying), and Caleb caught on super quick.  He continues to do so much better in math using the Math U See curriculum.
In other news, we’re gearing up for another session of our local home school Co-Op.  Caleb and Micah are both super excited.  Micah will be in the nursery, and Caleb is taking two classes…Field Day and The Universe We Live In.  I’m teaching one class this semester to the 3rd-5th graders about Nutrition and Exercise.  We’re looking forward to another fun-filled session of Co-Op with lots of our home school friends.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Second Grade Week 32 in Review

We actually finished up Week 32 on Thursday of last week, but I’m just now getting around to posting our review.  Oh well…better late, than never!
Bible – This week we spent time reviewing all of the catechism questions we’ve studied thus far (1-21).  We then had a Bible story on “Covenant Relationships.”  Our Bible reading was Genesis 17:1-20, and our memory work was First Catechism Q&A 23
Science – This week Caleb took a test over several units, and he scored 100%.
Health – This week we discussed being courteous on the telephone.  Caleb learned how to answer the phone using the skills he learned.
English – We finished up our chapter by reviewing all of the skills and taking a test.
Vocabulary – This week we added “astronomy, besides, crater, degree, diameter, gaze, gravity, reflect, telescope, and universe” to our list of vocabulary terms.
Reading – This week we read the following books:
Baby Otter by Ginjer L. Clarke
Spiderwick Chronicles:  Thimbletack’s Misson by Rebecca Frazer
”It’s Snowing” by Evan-Moor Publications
Math – This week we worked on multiple-digit addition and skip counting by 2.  Caleb is doing really well with his math, and that’s a PLUS for all of us!  Smile
As always, thanks for following our home school reviews.  How’s school going for all of you?

 
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